By: Julia Teitelbaum

As our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles grow older we think about their future and hope to give them the best care possible until their last days. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, eldercare is defined as “care of people who are elderly or infirm, provided by residential institutions, by paid daily help in the home, or by family members” (merriam-webster.com). Eldercare prioritizes both personal and social needs of seniors who need guidance with daily activities, such as shopping and staying occupied with a schedule or routine along with issues surrounding health care and the well being of the residents.

| Issue Overview |

Issue: Eldercare in Eugene

Present: Over 7,000 Americans from the Baby Boom era join 40 million other Americans who are already 65 and older each day. Because of the high demand of need for eldercare in the U.S., many new developments are being made and implemented to ensure for the best care of our seniors. Different types of senior housing and care, such as in-home care, respite care, and memory care have recently emerged in the eldercare world. More and more money is going into eldercare due to the new, upcoming technology needed as well as for the demand of the services.

Past: In the 1800’s “workhouses” and “poorhouses” were built for senior citizens to live and take care of themselves on their own. The seniors who occupied this space were referred to as inmates and as one can only imagine, they were not the most ideal places to live the last years of ones life in. Senior inmates were separated by gender and forced to work to upkeep the buildings. Usually, the hopeless elderly were housed with disabled people, mentally ill people and even alcoholics. In the mid-1800’s, organizations and state-run institutions for the elderly took action to ensure for better, safer conditions for seniors. In the 20th century the study of gerontology and geriatrics came about. Many new discoveries were found on diseases the elderly typically acquired along with the need for better care and coverage of seniors.

Future: As more and more baby boomers seek retirement this decade, the country will begin to see a change in the way eldercare is administered. Due to high healthcare costs and more of a demand of space and need, we will begin to see a rise in the cost of eldercare across the country. We will also see many new forms of care implemented such technology-enhanced senior care (robots and new computer systems that keep track of and tend to medications and vital signs and so on). A possible future in eldercare is the idea of cooperative living senior co-housing.

Sources:

Stevenson, Karen. “History of Long Term Care.” History of Long Term Care. Elderweb, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

“Administration on Aging (AoA).” Historical Evolution of Programs for Older Americans. Administration On Aging, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2016

Falk, Nancy L., Judith Baigis, and Catherine Kopac. “Elder Mistreatment and the Elder Justice Act.” Elder Mistreatment and the Elder Justice Act. American Nurses Association, Sept.-Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Jan. 2016.

“Assisted Living Studies.”Resident Profile”. National Center for Assisted Living, 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

“Nursing Homes & Assisted Living.” Http://www.cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.